Family vacation
by Vic of Thor
Summary: Ciri asks Geralt to help her kill an Archgriffin. Yennefer joins the party.
1. Chapter 1

One day, Ciri unexpectedly came to visit them in Toussaint. This was a beautiful surprise for Geralt and Yennefer. The hoped for her visit but they didn't expect it. The meeting was heart melting. Although nobody present there would admit, many tears were shed. They had a lot to catch up with, Ciri told them about her new Witcher life, about the monsters, both humans and non humans, she had to deal with. They talked a lot, they talked until the night became day and only then they realized they have to go to sleep.  
Next day, Geralt woke up earlier than Yen, as usual. He went outside, ready to start his daily routine. First thing he was doing every morning was to visit Roach, to be sure she's fine and she has everything she needs. In the stables she found something unexpected.  
\- Good morning, Geralt!  
\- Good morning! You're already up?  
\- Hihi! Of course! Witcher's life doesn't permit losing time in bed, remember? I bet you forgot, now you're a respectable knight.  
Geralt didn't laugh.  
\- Ciri, I would give all this knight thing and this estate for a Witcher's life anytime without any regret if it weren't for Yen.  
\- So you do miss the life on the path.  
\- Some days I miss it more than others. After tens of years spent killing monsters you may say it's in my blood now, it will always be a part of me and I think I'll always miss it more or less. Don't get me wrong, I love Yen more than ever but...  
\- Yeah, I think I get it. I'm so happy for you two. After all this time you're finally together. Be honest with me, do you still fight?  
\- Only about that dog... She cares for him too much.  
\- Oh, I see. That's some first class problem...for an old man. I bet you forgot how to hold a sword!  
\- Let's find out!  
They both took their swords and started to fight. Soon, sounds of steel on steel, laughing and yelling was heard in the whole estate.  
\- Why did you came?, asked Geralt between a parry and a charge.  
\- Because I missed you!  
\- Oh come on, I know you better than this. It must be something else. Why did you really came?  
\- I took a contract here. It's about an Archgriffin that lives nearby and I came to see if you're interested.  
Geralt stopped from their play.  
\- Interested in what?  
\- I thought you may want to come with me. We'll spend some time together and you will know if you can still kill a monster. Come on, it will be fun!  
\- Mmmm...  
Geralt was obviously pleased about the idea but something was holding him.  
\- Why so much noise? What the hell are you two doing? And where do you think you're going? Yen's annoyed voice was coming from the house.  
\- Good morning, mother, I was asking Geralt if he wants to come with me to kill an Archgriffin.  
A very sleepy Yen appeared.  
\- So you want to leave me already? You just came after so long and you want to leave? And take Geralt with you?!  
\- But mother...  
\- But Yen...  
\- You both shut up. I see there is only one solution to spend some time together. I come with you.  
\- But...  
\- But...  
\- No buts. You want to kill cockroaches, it's fine for me, I don't give a shit about them, but if that's the only way I can stay with my husband and my daughter then I come with you. I guess I have to get used with such family trips with two witchers in the family.  
Ciri and Geralt didn't find anything to say. They looked at each other but neither of them figured out if Yennefer was joking or not.  
\- But you don't know what we're dealing with. Archgriffins are very dangerous...  
\- So am I if you keep annoying me. We, sorceresses, know how to fight monsters, the thing is it's below us to run into sewers and swamps for them. That's what witchers are for.  
\- Yen, there is no reason to be mean...  
\- Me? You're the one that just tried to run away from me!  
An awkward silence fell. Yen realized she overreacted but was too proud and sleepy to apologize while Geralt started to see the mistake he made and tried to find his words to express it. Ciri was the one that broke the silence:  
\- Mother, you'll need a horse!  
\- Don't be silly, I'm a sorceress. I can transform anything into a horse. In fact, I think I'll use my dog, Raven for this. I don't want to leave him alone.  
\- But Yen, Keira told me that spell has a 66% chance of success. Do you want to risk his life for that?  
\- That's because Keira only attended 66% of the classes at Aretuza. Look, I know what I'm doing. Any other things Keira taught you?  
Geralt didn't say anything. Ciri was trying her best not to laugh.  
\- Good, I am happy to see you don't have any other objections against my idea. Now let's get in and eat something. That monster of yours won't go anywhere.


	2. Girls talk

\- Mother, how does this spell works? The dog knows it's a horse or you transform his mind too?  
They were on the road for some time, Geralt on his Roach, Ciri on her Kelpie and Yennefer on her Raven, the dog, now transformed into a black, beautiful horse. Ciri couldn't take the eyes off him all day, she was amazed by the spell, the hound was acting exactly like a horse.  
\- The spells changes it into whatever I choose and it gives me full control on his mind. Geralt knows that very well, chuckled Yen.  
\- What? You used the spell on him?, Ciri saw a good story coming.  
\- Geralt, do you want you to tell her?  
\- No! Obviously, Geralt was not very happy to remember about it.  
Yennefer started to laugh.  
\- Alright, I'll tell her. First time I met Geralt, I was living in a town where there were certain people that were not nice to me. Geralt needed help to save Dandelion so as a repayment I used this spell and took his body to get revenge on those people that wrong me.  
\- It would have been nice to told me about that first, mumbled Geralt, not at all happy to remember.  
\- So it works on people too, even on witchers?  
\- Yes, sure, although not for very long time.  
\- But it's enough to make him do what you want, winked Ciri.  
Yennefer laughed again.  
\- No, now I don't need to use the spell.  
Geralt couldn't stand anymore so put his Roach to a gallop. Ciri expected for Yennefer to go after him to apologize. Seeing that she has no intention of doing so she had to ask:  
\- Don't you think you should go after him to cheer him up?  
\- Oh, of course I will but not right now. It can't be only honey in love. And it's a good moment to have a talk. Do you really like this witcher's life? You never regret to be the Empress of Nilfgaard?  
Ciri sit quiet for a while, looking somewhere in the distance.  
\- There are moments when I want to go back and claim what is rightfully mine. But then I think that at a court I'll be like a bird in a cage, I could never fly again. And the thing, mother, is that I love my freedom more that anything. So, no, I don't regret this life. It can be very difficult at times but I am free and that makes me happy.  
\- I understand, my daughter. I think I had this urge for freedom myself for so long but it took me too long to see it.  
\- Do you want to tell me about it? You almost never told me anything about your past life.  
Yennefer sighed.  
\- It's not much to tell, really. For so long stupid me thought power is everything, I knew I was one of the best sorceress and I was proud about it, I fed on their envy and I thought I'm happy. It took me some time to understand that those things which I thought they brought me happiness were my cage.  
\- You mean the Lodge?  
\- No, not the Lodge. The Lodge was the punishment I deserved for my deeds. Remember the Chapter of Sorcerers, those sorcerers to whom I made the mistake to show you on Thanedd? For long time I was very proud to be a part of it and I did everything I could to have power and control. And then Geralt came and freed me. He was the only one that saw through me, he saw in me something I didn't know myself. He pledge his life to me...I was someone he didn't even know. That shocked me, I never thought someone could do something like that. He freed me from the old me, from my cage. He was...is my freedom. And, like you, I love my freedom more than anything.  
\- You're made for each other and I'm so happy you two finally understood that. Speaking of it, don't you think it's time to make peace with your...freedom?  
\- Yes, I guess you're right. Wait here a moment, ugly one.  
\- Mother!  
\- What? You will always be my ugly one, laughed Yen while making her horse-dog to gallop after Geralt.  
Ciri knew she didn't have to wait for long. In a few minutes Geralt and Yen were back with her, happy as nothing happened.


	3. The battle of the two beds

They stopped for the night. They couldn't find in time an inn or at least a village so they had to sleep on the ground. This was no problem for the two witchers but it was a huge one for the sorceress.  
\- Really? Do I have to sleep on the ground?  
\- Well, yes, what did you think?  
\- To be honest I didn't really think about it. I just wanted to be with you, that's all.  
\- So what's in those huge bags if not furs to sleep on?  
\- Clothes, of course. I can't wear same dress every day.  
\- Geralt and Ciri looked at each other. Yennefer understood why and calmed them:  
\- Don't worry about me, I will be fine. You two go to fish or find something to eat, meanwhile I will deal with this problem.  
Still confused, the two witchers went to the river trying not to think what the sorceress had in mind. When they came back they found 2 huge beds, with silk sheets and lots of pillows.  
\- Yen, what did you do?  
\- Nothing. I told you I can take care of this.  
\- But...  
\- Mother, did you teleported two beds in the middle of the wilderness?  
\- Of course not, do you know how much those beds weight? I asked two boys from the furniture shop to help me. It was easy with a portal.  
Ciri and Geralt remained silent, none of them knowing what to say.  
\- What? Yennefer was not capable of understanding their astonishment. I bought a big one for us and I just couldn't let Ciri sleep on the ground. I know probably it's a witcher's tradition to do that but now you have a sorceress with you.  
Geralt realized he couldn't do anything now. He will be the first witcher who will sleep in a bed in the middle of wilderness. He just hoped Lambert and Eskel will never find about it, they will laugh at him for years.  
\- Yen...it's very nice of you and I must say I never thought I will ever sleep in such good conditions...but...can I ask you to stop doing this, please?  
\- Doing what?  
\- Take it as an experiment. Let's do this monster hunt the witcher's way. No magic from now on. That's how you'll best find out how a witcher's life is, how I lived for tens of years and how Ciri chose to live.  
\- Fine, I suppose I can do that. But can we start from tomorrow? This bed is too comfortable, it would be a shame not to use it.  
\- Fine, we'll sleep in the bed tonight. Ciri, can you stop laughing, please?  
They made a fire so they could cook the fish they caught in the river. Skillfully, Geralt prepared them. Meanwhile, Yen went to feed Raven.  
\- Yen, where did Raven took that meat from?  
\- From me, of course. When I bought the beds I went to the butcher and bought him some meat.  
\- You mean the dog eats meat and we have to eat fish?  
\- I thought it's a witcher tradition to eat only what you can find when you're after a monster, I didn't want to spoil it.  
Geralt sighed.  
\- Ciri, stop laughing!  
Ciri did her best to respect Geralt's wish and tried to change the subject:  
\- Did you guys know you're becoming legends in the north?  
\- What?  
\- Yes, everybody's talking about the White Wolf, the great Witcher Geralt of Rivia, about the sorceress Yennefer of Vergenberg, the greatest sorceress of our times and their love story. You're quite famous, Dandelion does a great job singing about you.  
\- Dandelion! When I'll see him I'm...  
Yennefer's eyes had something diabolical yet playful:  
\- Geralt, don't be silly. Imagine all the ladies that will want a night with you now. You can have anyone you want.  
\- Yen, please, don't start again.  
\- Why, it suits perfectly. You finished all the sorceresses, it's time to move on to the noble ladies.  
\- Actually, if you really want to know there is a sorceress I missed and you make me think more and more to complete the collection, just to give you a reason to laugh.  
\- What? You missed one? I can't believe it! Who is it?  
\- Your best friend, Phillipa. Each time you make fun of me you make her more and more attractive.  
Geralt was suddenly attacked by all the pillows that could be found in the middle of nowhere. Surprisingly, they were quite a lot. He had no choice but to fight back and he did it valiantly.  
Ciri will later talk about this fight calling it "The battle of the two beds". No one will believe her, Geralt and Yennefer will never confirm that such thing happened and no other human being was present in a certain night in the middle of the wilderness to witness the pillow fight between a sorceress and a witcher.


	4. The fishing lesson

\- I must say I never slept so well in my entire Witcher life, said Ciri the next morning, when they woke up in the beds that Yennefer had bought for them.  
\- It wasn't bad at all for a first night as a witcher, chuckled Yen.  
\- Yen, remember, no more spells please. We will do this the witcher way.  
\- Fine, dear, but you'll have to teach me everything the witchers do.  
So they did. The first thing they tried to teach Yen was fishing. Geralt was very serious and very tender when he showed Yen what a fishing rod is made of, how to throw the bait and how to pull when the fish is caught. Yen listened very careful and she tried her best to do everything perfect.  
After half an hour they didn't catch anything. Yen was visibly bored:  
\- How much must be wait until the fish comes?  
\- Yen, the fish doesn't just "come". Sometimes you catch it, sometimes you don't, it's a matter of luck.  
The sorceress was visibly unsatisfied by the answer but she didn't say anything. She just moved few steps away from the 2 witchers, she put the fishing rod down and she changed her position in such way she was standing with her back towards Geralt and Ciri.  
\- Yen, what are you doing?  
\- Nothing, I moved because I hate the sun burning my face.  
Unseen by the witchers she began to move her hands in a strange way and to mutter something. After few moments the fishing rod moved violently.  
\- Geralt! I think I caught something!  
\- Great! Yen you're a natural.  
\- Don't stand there! What do I do now? It will escape! Yennefer yelled with excitement.  
\- No he won't. Hold him!  
\- I'm holding him. It must be huge!  
\- Loosen it a little, you don't want the line to snap.  
\- Come and help me, don't just stand there!  
\- Fine, give me the rod. Look how it's done.  
After some struggle the fish was brought to the shore. Soon, more fishes followed and all of them had come to Yen's rod. Geralt was amazed.  
\- Yen, the fishes really like you today. You're the only one that caught anything.  
\- It must be beginner's luck said Yen.  
\- Yes, sure. Beginner's luck, of course. Ciri winked at Yen trying not to laugh.  
Geralt moved away from Yen.  
\- You saw how I did it, now it's your turn. The next fish you'll catch it all by yourself.  
It didn't take long and the rod moved again. Yen was unsure on her moves but Geralt and Ciri cheered her.  
\- Look, I almost have it. My first fish!  
Yen was excited, she was like a child that plays with a new toy. She succeeded to rise the fish above the water level  
and she reached to take the line into her hand when she lost balance and she slipped to the river. A piercing scream disturbed the silence of the peaceful morning.  
Geralt, with his witcher reflexes, tried to help her but it was too late. They both fell into the cold water of the river.  
Ciri froze and Geralt expected the hell to break loose. But nothing happened, Yen got up from the water laughing:  
\- So, how does this count? Did I catch the fish or the fish caught us?  
After they changed their clothes, Geralt showed Yen how to prepare the fishes to be cooked. Yen, with her hair still wet, looked at him with mistrust:  
\- I hope you won't expect now me to cook for you, just because you taught me how.  
Geralt smiled.  
\- It never crossed my mind. I married you, if I wanted a wife to cook for me I would have married a cook or a housekeeper. I just wanted to teach you how it's done, that's all.  
\- Ciri couldn't stop herself:  
\- But I would love to eat something cooked by you, mother.  
Yen stopped from drying her hair and looked at her daughter:  
\- For you, my ugly one, I'll do it.


	5. Family rules

They were on their way for some time. It was a beautiful day and they were happy to be together.

\- We should do this more often, said Ciri stretching her back. We never actually had the chance to be together, like a normal family.

\- Do you think normal families go on a monster hunt? chuckled Yen.

\- Mother, you know what I mean. None of us knows what a normal family suppose to be so we'll have to learn together.

\- None of us had the chance to know what a family really is, I suppose that's for the best. We can make our own family the way we want, with our own rules, said Geralt.

\- So we can do our own rules? laughed Ciri. Great! I have one!

\- I'm afraid of what that rule may be, mumbled Yennefer.

\- I say we go on a monster hunt each month. Normal families go on vacation or spend some time together so can we, in our own way.

\- Actually that's a great idea. Yen, what do you say about this?

\- I suppose it will be fun to pretend to be a Witcher with you two as long as you don't get hurt. Can I choose the next rule?

\- Sure!

\- Every month we will go at the theater together and Ciri will wear a dress.

\- But mother!

\- What? If you want me to be a witcher for you why can't you be a lady for me, at least for a night?

\- Fine, but let's do it once every tree months. I hate dresses!

\- Two!

Ciri accepted her defeat.

\- Fine. the sacrifices one must do for her family...

\- Geralt, are you with us?

Geralt looked like he was thinking of something else.

\- Geralt!

\- Yes?

\- At what sorceress where you thinking?

\- Yen... It came into my mind the first time the three of us were together for the first time. It was right before Thanedd, some time after I realized I can feel, that I have feelings. You and Ciri made me understand that. I still couldn't accept these things I felt and I had no idea how to deal with them. My life then was a continuous struggle, everyday was a fight with myself. I knew about mages's meeting and I went around Thanedd hoping...I don't know what I was hoping. I was hoping to see you two but I knew I can't do that because the ones that followed me will get to you. And then...

\- ...and then someone decided it's a good idea to run away from her mother in the middle of the night, continued Yennefer.

\- That's because you didn't let me see Geralt! And I knew you want to see him as much as I did so I had to do something.

\- Something?! Yennefer started to laugh. The entire wild hunt was after you. You were lucky I knew where you're going so I could come to save you.

\- Yes, I remember. When you got out of that portal and I saw your face I didn't know if you were mad because of the wild hunt or because I ran away. One thing is certain, Dandelion was right. That was the face of the goddess of rage and fury.

\- You see, my ugly one, at that time I had the same problem as Geralt. I felt something for him but I didn't want to admit it. At least not to him. To see him was the last thing I wanted at that moment. I didn't get any news from him for years so I was thinking he forgot me or, even worse, that he hated me. So I was mad I have to come to him to save you, I knew I will meet him and I knew I won't be capable to hold my feelings...

\- I think we were both to proud to admit our feelings, Yen. Ciri was the one that brought us together, I think without her we wouldn't be together today.

\- I think you're right, confirmed Yen. We were stupid, proud and too afraid to lose our freedom I guess.


End file.
